BeeVital CHALK BROOD

[For want of a better word]

Been gifted a bottle of BeeVital Chalkbrood stuff... looks like their old HiveClean solution.

Not really into squirting snake oil on my colonies,, other than the odd dash of Vimto and the odd rhubarb leaf....

Not sure if this works in eliminating chalk.... advice used to be to change the queen as the only fix....

Any one using it??? any results????

Couple of colonies seem to be prone, despite queen change.

Can not see a manufacture date or use by on the bottle????

Chons da

 

[BMH]

I had terrible chalkbrood in a few nucs last week. Mummies on the floor and open brood in a bad state.

Changed over to clean nucs, discarded black combs (2 out of 36), increased ventilation around hives and reduced shading and it was gone within a week.

Think it tends to be quite bad early in the year but can clear up if given a boost. If it persists, then best to requeen.

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[B+.]

Not sure if this works in eliminating chalk.... advice used to be to change the queen as the only fix....

Any one using it??? any results????

Couple of colonies seem to be prone, despite queen change.

What's chalkbrood? ;-)

 

[For want of a better word]

What's chalkbrood? ;-)

Stuff that the chalkbrood snake oil cures..... apparently!!

Chons da

 

[Finman]

I had terrible chalkbrood in a few nucs last week. Mummies on the floor and open brood in a bad state.

Changed over to clean nucs, discarded black combs (2 out of 36), increased ventilation around hives and reduced shading and it was gone within a week.

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In few nucs... You have in your apiary chalkbrood sensitive genepool.
Buy new mated queens.

 

[BMH]

In few nucs... You have in your apiary chalkbrood sensitive genepool.

Buy new mated queens.

These are F1 queens bought less than 6 weeks ago so not indicative of her offspring.

The fact its cleared up somewhat is promising.

the donor colony is certainly susceptible but were showing no signs when split

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[Finman]

These are F1 queens bought less than 6 weeks ago so not indicative of her offspring.

The fact its cleared up somewhat is promising.

the donor colony is certainly susceptible but were showing no signs when split

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Sounds bad.... If the queen is immune to chalk brood, hive should be clean 3 weeks. It seems that your new queens are sensitive. 6 weeks is 2 brood generations.

 

[BMH]

Sounds bad.... If the queen is immune to chalk brood, hive should be clean 3 weeks. It seems that your new queens are sensitive. 6 weeks is 2 brood generations.

Not necessarily. Depends how strong the colony is and how quickly they remove the dead mummies.

Like I said, there was a dramatic improvement after 3/4 weeks which suggests a better immunity to chalkbrood.

I'll take a pic of that same nuc next week and show you the difference. It's quite dramatic

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[Finman]

I had a bad chalkbrood 10 years. Then I breeded it away. Breeding took 4-5 years. I know quite much about chalkbrood. It goes usually away when summer becomes warner. Then it comes back next spring.

If a queen is immune, it starts make healthy larvae, even if combs is badly contaminated.

 

[BMH]

I had a bad chalkbrood 10 yeats. Then I breeded away it. Breeding took 4-5 years. I know quite much about chalkbrood. It goes usually away when summer becomes warner. Then it comes back next spring.

So if you had a terrible case of chalkbrood and replaced the queen for one with perfect immunity, you are saying after three weeks the problem would be 100% eradicated?

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[SDM]

The thing is with chalk brood whether you do something or not it's generally better in 3 or 4 weeks.
Local bees here are sods for it. Most Buckfast I've seen just don't have it, but you start to see an odd colony get it at f2 generation.

 

[Beefriendly]

Most Buckfast I've seen just don't have it, but you start to see an odd colony get it at f2 generation.

By the F2 generation the worker bees are back to 75% local genes.

 

[Finman]

The thing is with chalk brood whether you do something or not it's generally better in 3 or 4 weeks.
.

Yes, when weathers become warmer. That misleads that what ever cure has been succesfull. But the harm has already happened.

The main thing is, that disease has killed enough brood, and build up is late. Then the hive will be healed and the hive rear brood like mad. The yield will be used to expanding brood amount. The hive is in yield condition at the last half of summer.

If chalkbrood kills 20% out of brood, you do not get yield from that hive.

 

[Finman]

By the F2 generation the worker bees are back to 75% local genes.

Yeah. It is not any more buckfast.
.

 

[SDM]

Yeah. It is not any more buckfast.
.

I'm guessing that 10 years of the nearest 4 apiaries(5o odd colonies) running f0/f1 Buckfast has had some impact on what 75% local means.

 

[Finman]

I'm guessing that 10 years of the nearest 4 apiaries(5o odd colonies) running f0/f1 Buckfast has had some impact on what 75% local means.

I do not know, but something in area, because chalkbrood appears in crossings.
.

 

[SDM]

I do not know, but something in area, because chalkbrood appears in crossings.
.

For sure, i need at least 3 more tactically placed apiaries to make a real difference year on year.